1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna equipment suited to be applied to a radio communication terminal equipment, such as a portable telephone, and to a communication terminal equipment having this antenna equipment installed thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known hitherto, as an antenna equipment provided at a radio communication terminal equipment such as a portable telephone, an antenna apparatus using a helical antenna. FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of the constitution of a conventional portable telephone using a helical antenna. In this example, a surface-side case 1 and a back surface-side case 2 made of resin are joined to each other, thereby providing a terminal equipment configured as a portable telephone. A plurality of operation keys 3 (FIG. 4 shows the back surfaces of the keys) such as a dial key, and a display panel member 4 displaying a telephone number or the like, are arranged on the surface-side case 1. Also, a microphone 1a and a speaker 1b are attached onto the surface-side case 1. Further, the tip end portion of a rod-like whip antenna 5 is arranged at a position which becomes an upper side when the terminal equipment is used. The whip antenna 5 is constituted as, for example, an expandable antenna.
A shield case 7 is attached to a circuit board 6 arranged between the surface-side case 1 and the back surface-side case 2 so as to cover circuit components on the board. Further, a helical antenna 9 is attached at a position of the circuit board 6 facing the back surface-side case 2. This helical antenna 9 is arranged in a state, for example, in which a wire is wound planarly as shown in FIG. 4 and the wound portion is slightly distant from the surface of the board 6. One end of the wire is electrically continuous to a feeder section 9a (i.e., the antenna connection section) on the circuit board.
The portable telephone constituted as stated above is provided with, as antennas, two antennas, i.e., the whip antenna 5 and the helical antenna 9. Normally, the expandable whip antenna 5 protruding from a main body and is used as an antenna for both transmission and reception purposes, whereas the helical antenna 9 included in the main body is used as an antenna for reception only. During reception, the portable telephone is constituted such that the two antennas 5 and 9 are employed and diversity reception is carried out using an antenna capable of ensuring good signal reception.
By providing the terminal equipment with two antennas, it is possible to enhance reception performance. However, it takes labor to manufacture the helical antenna included in the main body and operation such as soldering is also required when attaching the helical antenna to the circuit board. Thus, if the helical antenna is included in the main body, the production cost of the terminal equipment disadvantageously increases. Namely, since the helical antenna itself requires winding a copper wire or the like helically using a tool or the like, it takes labor to manufacture the helical antenna. Further, if the helical antenna consisting of a wound wire or the like is attached to the circuit board, it is necessary to fix the antenna onto the board by soldering or the like while making the wound portion distant from the surface of the circuit board. Thus, it takes more labor than soldering chip components or the like.
In view of the above respects, it is an object of the present invention to facilitate the constitution of a helical antenna included in a terminal equipment of this type and facilitate attachment operativity.
An antenna equipment according to the present invention comprises a housing arranged on a circuit board; a conductor pattern formed into a predetermined pattern on a predetermined portion of an surface or an inner surface of the housing; and a feeder section making a predetermined circuit formed on the circuit board continuous to the conductor pattern.
According to the antenna equipment of the present invention, the conductive pattern formed on the surface or the, inner surface of the housing functions as an antenna element. In that case, only by arranging this housing on the circuit board, the antenna can be attached to the circuit board.
A communication terminal equipment according to the present invention comprises a circuit board on which a communication circuit is arranged; a shield case arranged on this circuit board and shielding at least a part of an interior of the circuit with a conductor film formed on a part of outer surface or the inner surface of the shield case; a conductor pattern formed into a predetermined pattern on a portion of the surface or the inner surface of the shield case on which portion the conductor film is not formed; and a feeder section making the conductor pattern continuous to an antenna connection section of the communication circuit arranged on the circuit board.
According to the communication terminal equipment of the present invention, the conductor pattern formed on the surface or the inner surface of the shield case functions as an antenna element. In this case, by simply arranging this shield case on the circuit board, the antenna can be attached to the circuit board.